Businessman pleads guilty in bribing New Orleans public official

A New Orleans businessman pleaded guilty Wednesday of bribing a public official.

Unsealed federal documents allege Rodney Williams, the former president of Three Fold Consultants, which managed millions in street repairs in post-Katrina New Orleans, made a series of electronic payoffs between 2007 and 2010 in exchange for favorable treatment.

Williams, 46, pleaded guilty at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday to bribing a New Orleans city official.

Williams was president of Three Fold Consultants LLC. Prosecutors charged he made more than $72,000 in payoffs to the unnamed official - who also owned a granite installation company - in exchange for using his office to steer city work to Williams between 2007 and 2010.

The unsealed documents outlined the charges against Williams, who is accused of bribing a public official believed to be former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.

The official is not named, but the dates of the alleged bribes coincide with Nagin's term of office and the bill of information specifies that "Public Official A" was an agent of the city from 2002-2010, when Nagin served as mayor.

A bill of information indicates the defendant is cooperating with prosecutors.

Nagin has not been charged with any crime, but several business associates have been accused of criminal misconduct since Nagin left office.

Sentencing for Williams was set for 2 p.m. on March 27, 2013.

Copyright 2012 by WDSU.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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